After already losing two sponsors, Phil Mickelson and his foundation were barred from a PGA Tour event in the California desert on Saturday. The repercussions continue to mount since comments by the golfer about his involvement in the creation of a rival circuit financed by Saudi Arabia were exposed publicly.
Posted at 9:26 p.m.
The Californian media The Desert Sunbased in Palm Springs, reported that the local tournament sponsored by The American Express will no longer do business with the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation as a charity and that the legendary golfer will no longer be hosting the event.
The foundation had been associated with the tournament since 2019. The PGA Tour said it would not comment further on the case, but confirmed that ties were severed with Mickelson.
The winner of six major tournaments was quoted by his biographer, Alan Shipnuck, as saying that the Saudi group behind the plan for a new professional circuit were a bunch of “appalling bastards to do business with”.
He then added that knowing that the regime had coldly murdered the journalist from washington post Jamal Khashoggi and his human rights record was horrendous, he still intended to engage with the Saudis for “the chance of a lifetime”.
Mickelson maintained that his objective in collaborating with the Saudis was to force the hand of the PGA to renew itself in the face of serious competition.
This potential rival league, however, suffered a severe blow last week when none of the 12 best golfers on the planet expressed interest in leaving the PGA.
On Tuesday, Mickelson released a bizarre statement in which he acknowledged his remarks were “irresponsible” but added that they were not meant to be shared publicly.
He also apologized to the group of investors LIV Golf Investments, led by Greg Norman, arguing that his words had been taken out of context and described them as visionaries seeking like him to make golf better.
Mickelson made no mention of the PGA Tour or its commissioner Jay Monahan, whom he called a “dictator” in his interview with his biographer.
The 51-year-old left-hander said he “badly needs” to step aside for a while to get his priorities straight.
Accounting firm KPMG was the first to cut ties with Mickelson by immediately ending its sponsorship that had lasted since 2008. Amstel Light beer followed, then Callaway Golf, which partnered with Mickelson in the 2004 Ryder Cup , announced that it was suspending its business relationship with the golfer.
Workday has said it will not renew its partnership when it ends in March.